The Years Of Domino High
by Ra86
Summary: Marik is a new transfer student to Domino High. He has decided to start a new life. But what lies around the corner might just bring his past back into reality. R&R better than it sounds actually.
1. Chapter 1

"Class, we have a new transfer student joining us today." The teacher announced loudly in the second hour of the day. That was the start of all of the chaos that was to be ensued in Domino High. Joey Wheeler stood and stretched. "I hope it's another person like Ryou. Well, without the evil counterpart." Bakura glared at the blonde and growled, but Ryou put his hand on his other's shoulder. No one had realized that the Tomb Robber had been a part of their class, not even the teacher. And Bakura was sick of being talked about like he didn't exist.

The door swung open and the gang's jaws dropped. Even Seto Kaiba looked surprised. A blonde and tan, very familiar boy walked into the room. He looked ashamed and put his head down. "I'm Marik Ishtar…" He whispered softly. The teacher looked at him and pointed him in the direction of his seat, on the opposite side of Ryou.

"Hello Marik!" Ryou chirped happily. "Nice to meet you!" Marik nodded and flashed the boy a small smile. Bakura was the most shocked in the room. He looked at the blonde as if he were part of some dream. There was no way in Hell that the Egyptian boy had managed to return. No way in Hell.

Marik let his head fall to his chest. He could feel the rage in the glares he was receiving upon the sensitive skin of his back. He knew that moving to Domino was going to be hard, but he realized that Bakura was in the room as well. Maybe they had accepted him. Maybe he was given a second chance, so maybe, just maybe, they would accept him too.

He felt something hit the back of his head. He unraveled the piece of paper. "Not Likely." it read. 'Great,' he thought, 'they still hate me…'

! # $ & ( - )

Marik sat, quietly mixing every piece of food on his tray together, staring off into space at nothing in particular. His violet eyes seemed displeased and disturbed. He looked as though he was contemplating suicide. Soon, he stood and dumped his food into the trash bins. He walked outside into the sunshine and looked around the courtyard. Everyone was laughing and happy. The gang was dueling in the shade of the tree that inhabited the middle of the yard. Marik shuddered and started to walk away.

"Marik!" He heard the dreaded call from the young boy named Ryou, which he had so willingly harmed in Battle City. He turned and forced a polite smile to his tanned face.

"Yes Ryou?" He asked sweetly.

"Come meet the rest of the gang! You seem to not have very many friends here yet! Come on!" The white haired teen dragged the older boy over to the place where the gang was sitting. "Hey guys! You all remember Marik from earlier today don't you!?" Ryou asked excitedly.

The group nodded. "Have a seat," Yugi whispered. "It's not fair to have to be sitting all alone."

Marik smiled graciously at him for at least trying to be kind, even if the star-headed teen didn't seem very happy to see the blonde. Marik sat away from them, but not far enough for Ryou to be suspicious. "I thank you for inviting me to sit, but I really should go. I don't really like to be around so many people. I… I'm kind of afraid of them…" Marik whispered, getting up to leave. Joey snorted.

Yugi stood as well. "Marik? Can I speak to you?" He asked, grabbing the blonde's arm. "It will only take a minute." Marik nodded and turned to face the boy with a gulp. "You know that Yami is gone now. I thank you for helping us with all of that. You seem pretty nice and all, but, I don't think the rest of the group sees it that way yet."

Again the blonde nodded. "Not to be mean or anything, Yugi. I thank you all for your kindness. But I really have no need for friends. I never really got along with people. I have been kicked out of every school in Egypt for my behavior with the other students."

Yugi looked up into the lavender eyes of the taller teen. "You seem like you have changed Marik. Really you have. I understand if you want to give it time for the bad things to fade away. And I'm willing to give you a second chance. The others will follow my choice. If you want, we're all meeting at the arcade tomorrow for pizza. You're welcome to come if you wish."

Marik smiled forcibly again. "Thanks. I'll consider it." He waved and walked off, leaving the soft, warm sunlight of the courtyard.

"Hey, I wanna talk to you." The voice pierced the blonde's mind like a knife edging slowly into an old wound. "Turn around and face me Tomb Keeper!"

Marik turned and looked straight into the mahogany eyes of the ancient thief that had caused him so much trouble. "What is it that you want Bakura?"

"Getting a little close to my hikari's friends are you?" he asked. "How come you can just walk in and have everyone accept you? I hardly even exist! The only one that will talk to me is Ryou! And that's only at home! It's like he's ashamed that I'm here! No one notices me unless I do something to stand out."

Marik closed his eyes. "That's because you have not proved your loyalty to them. I have changed. I am no longer the reckless soul I used to be. And, you are a Tomb Robber. That's a reason in itself."

Bakura grabbed his shoulders, rage burning in his eyes, making them look like blood. "You aren't as changed as you'd like to think! You still have a long way to go! And what makes you so damn perfect!? When did you become such an angel!?"

Marik looked into his eyes, pure horror flooding his body and clouding his mind. "I.. Uh… Well…" he stuttered. Bakura threw the blonde to the ground and pinned him there. Marik flinched, a small scream escaping his throat, tears filling his eyes. "P-please… d-don't…"

"What's wrong with you!? When did you become such a damn wimp!?" Bakura yelled, his voice echoing down the hall. Marik cried softly, trying to choke back the hot tears that flowed freely down his cheeks. Bakura raised his fist.

"Stop!" Bakura looked down at the boy. "Please! Please stop! Don't hurt me! Please!! Not again… Please not again…"The sobbing increased making the blonde shake uncontrollably. "No…"

Bakura lowered his hand and gently touched the boy's cheek with his fingertips. Marik flinched at the soft touch. "What's happened to you, Ishtar?" The bell began to ring and Bakura looked down the hall to see Ryou and the gang laughing about something stupid someone had said. They stopped and looked at him and the crying Marik.

"Yami! What have you done to him!" Ryou shouted, anger and shock in his voice. The rest of the group just glared and whispered about the many things that could've happened.

Bakura stood and took the Egyptian in his arms. "Listen to me Ishtar! Snap out of it." The blonde paid no attention, for he was long gone. "I need to get him to the nurse. Ryou, help me!" Ryou blinked and obeyed Bakura's orders. They forced their way through the group and to the nurse's office.

! # $ & ( - )

Marik opened his eyes tiredly. "Ra…" he groaned. The searing pain in his head told him something had happened, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what. He felt a cool hand on his arm and moved his stinging eyes to the silvery haired male beside him.

"He hasn't left your side since he brought you in here." Ryou's usually singsong voice was now soft and concerned. The blonde turned towards the noise. "I don't know what has passed between you two, but it has scared him."

He looked back to Bakura's sleeping form. "What time is it?" he asked. Ryou looked at the clock and told him it was somewhere near one in the morning. "What!?" Marik looked at Ryou. "How did I get here! I should be going home!" He felt Ryou's hand on his forehead, pushing him back down.

"Not with a fever like that. I won't let you leave this bed without a normal temperature. For now you rest." He pointed to Bakura. "He carried you the four miles from school to here when you fainted."

Violet eyes settled on the Tomb Robber. "But why? Why did he help me?"

Ryou shrugged. "Something happened. He's not as bad as you think. He has yet to hurt me again. He must've finally gotten a guilty conscience. Something in you made him change. It's actually quite nice to see him like this."

Understanding passed through the blonde. He closed his burning eyes and let the sleep wash over him for the rest of the night.

! # $ & ( - )

Marik awoke and yawned, the pain in his head having finally subsided around noon. He heard a noise down the hall and decided to get up and investigate. He opened the door a crack just wide enough to fit his head through. He peered down the hall to see Bakura with his head down in front of the bathroom door. Marik closed the door and grabbed a blanket to wrap around himself.

! # $ & ( - )

"Bakura?" A soft voice awoke the Tomb Robber from his thoughts. He looked up to see a fuzzy tan shape. He wiped the tears from his eyes and looked again at the blonde teenaged Egyptian. "Are you alright Bakura?"

Bakura nodded. "Yeah, fine Ishtar. How are you feeling this fine morning?"

Marik forced a smile onto his face. "I am just fine. However, I do have to leave this afternoon. I must be getting home soon."

Bakura stood and looked deep into the violet eyes that had captivated him so. Never in his life had he seen such an amazing color. They were like the finest gems in the world. And he wanted them. "Listen to me Ishtar. I need you to stay here until Ryou calls alright? I promised that I would watch over you until he said it was alright for you to leave."

Marik nodded in understanding, yet he was so confused at the thief's actions. Arms wrapped around him gently as Bakura hugged him. Marik blinked in shock. "Bakura… Why are you...?"

Bakura pulled away. "How about something to eat?" He walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, leaving Marik behind to ponder about what had just happened. He had began to cook when he heard the call for a shower. The white haired male laughed slightly. "No, Ishtar, the water doesn't work! Just kidding… Go ahead!"

Marik smiled as he slid into the hot water of the shower. He made sure to lock the door in case the Tomb Robber had decided to join him. He took out a binder, letting his hair fall to the middle of his back. Then another, letting it drape down the rest of his body. He wet it down and smiled happily. He sighed as he pulled the shampoo out of the corner of the tub and placed some in his hands. His fingers massaged his scalp and let his troubles wash away in the water.

! # $ & ( - )

"What is he doing up there?" Bakura sighed and decided to meander up the stairs and knock on the bathroom door. Marik had been in there for an hour at the least already. "Hey! Blondie! Get out! Some of us need to use it too ya know!" He tapped his foot impatiently and waited until he heard the lock to the door click open. He opened the door and gaped at the sight before him. The beautiful sun-kissed skin that rippled across the Egyptian's taught chest and stomach muscles. The long golden blonde hair that Bakura didn't even know the boy had. Those gorgeous lavender eyes that darkened in annoyance.

"Quite gawking." Marik growled smacking Bakura over the head with a brush. "Hurry up. I have to go soon." Marik walked down the hall and back into Ryou's room to retrieve the rest of his clothes.

Bakura blinked. "Snap out of it. He's not that sexy."

! # $ & ( - )

"So Yugi, who are we waiting for? Ryou's already here, and he's usually the only person we have to wait for!" Joey asked, impatience growing within him.

Yugi leaned over to Ryou. "He is coming right?" Ryou nodded and perked his head to the rumbling noise of a motorcycle. Yugi smiled. "Yup, he's here."

"Sorry I'm late! I had some difficulties getting out of Ryou's house," Marik said bowing apologetically. He shook his head not wanting to go deeper into that subject.

Yugi took the blonde's arm in his own, Ryou doing the same, and marched into the arcade where the others were waiting. Joey's jaws dropped, nearly to the floor. "Why is he here!?"

Marik placed his head down. "Ya know Yugi, I don't think this is such a good idea."

"Nonsense! Be nice Joey! You used to be just like him, remember?!" Yugi blurted.

Joey looked at the midget, confused. "I didn't used to control people's minds against their will to get what I wanted." Again, Marik lowered his head so that his chin was touching his chest. He hated what he did, he really did.

"He did free everyone he had controlled," Yugi looked at Joey with a serious look that was almost like a myth because it was so rare.

Marik tried to pull away from the grasp of the two teens that were holding onto his arms, but he could not. "I… I am sorry for what I did… But I was being controlled just as much as everyone I used. I was being used by my evil half, remember?" His voice was soft, barely audible to the group. He was fighting the urge to scream and break down in tears.

Ryou patted the boy's shoulder. "It's okay Marik. You and I can go somewhere else to hang out, and whoever else wants to join. However, Wheeler can stay as far away from you as he pleases." Ryou turned towards the door with the blonde in tow. Yugi followed them, as did Tea and Duke. Tristan and Joey remained behind.

"So… Marik, you are good now, right?" Tea asked nervously, she had been used many times by the boy who she was walking next to. Marik nodded slowly. "What would you like to do?"

Marik shrugged. Ryou looked at him in a concerned way. "What time did you wake up this morning?"

"Noon," he whispered, his voice was strained. "Hey! Wanna come over to my place for a little while? It's not very far from here, and well, I could make us all something to eat, then we wouldn't have to pay." He shoved his motorcycle off of its kickstand and began to walk it.

"Sure! How far is it?" Yugi asked, excited that Marik was willing to give them all a chance to see how he lived. Marik pointed to a building a few blocks away. "Wow! You live really close to the arcade! Maybe we should all come over more often!"

Marik forced a polite smile. "Yeah!"

! # $ & ( - )

Around seven o' clock everyone but Ryou had left the small apartment that the Ishtar child called home. They had fun listening to Marik play his guitar and took turns playing different games. He found the gang quite interesting. They had a decent meal of Koshari, an Egyptian dish, that evening, that the blonde teen had cooked himself. Ryou sat on the couch reading one of the many books that had lined the living room of Marik's apartment. "Hey Marik?"

The blonde poked his head out of the kitchen, a piece of block cheese sticking out of his mouth. "Yesh?"

Ryou giggled. "Why do you have so many high level books? These are all college texts and things. Did you get them from your sister?"

Marik picked one of them up and shook his head. "I had all of the Egyptian texts from a child. My sister bought me the English versions so I could learn how to speak your language properly and compare the two side by side."

Ryou blinked. "You read these when you were young?"

Marik laughed. "Yes, actually I finished college when I was nine."

Ryou looked at the boy with wide eyes. "Really? Then why are you failing all of your classes here in Domino."

Marik smiled lightly and ran into his room. He emerged with a pile of at least a hundred sheets of paper. "These are all of the assignments for this year. Until I turn it in I will be failing. But I don't want to turn anything in incomplete. I will have this packet finished by next week and move on to the next grade."

Ryou looked at the neat handwriting that filled the pages. "This is just one class?"

Marik nodded. "I finished the rest already, but I want to turn them all in at the same time."

"If only I could get Bakura to do his work like this." Marik laughed at Ryou's comment about the thief.

! # $ & ( - )


	2. Chapter 2

Marik walked into school the next day happy as could be. He waved and smiled at everyone he saw. He had a wonderful night's sleep, and almost nothing could get him in a down mood today. Almost…

"Hey, how much are ya for a night?"

Marik stopped, anger building in his chest. "What did you just say to me?"

"I said how much baby?"

Marik turned and landed his fist on the jaw of the older male, leaving a resounding crack in the halls. Pleasant to the blonde's ears, came the screams of the male's girlfriend. "It was just a joke!" she screamed at him.

Marik smirked. "Maybe he'll learn not to joke anymore." He walked down the hall and into his classroom, quite pleased with himself.

Bakura ran in a few minutes after the bell, but miraculously before the teacher. He noticed the tanned teen's smirk and realized that Marik was the one responsible for the Senior's broken jaw. "Nice hit Ishtar."

Marik frowned at the thief. "Thanks I guess."

The rest of the day passed harmlessly. Marik proved to be a fairly brilliant student, like Ryou assumed. Most of the gang was surprised by the blonde's actions in the classroom. Even though he didn't get along with the teachers, he was a decent student. He knew the answer to everything he was asked and explained them wisely.

! # $ & ( - )

He emerged into the sunlight after school was over and smiled happily, lifting his face to the warmth of the sun's rays. "Marik!" His happiness was just meant to be ruined on this day.

"Yes Bakura?" He asked annoyed. He stopped and waited for the thief to catch up.

"Do you always walk so damn fast?"

Marik shook his head. "What do you want Bakura? I was just starting to have a good day."

Bakura glared at the blonde. The boy's words stung him, and he didn't know why. "Why are you so mean to me? What did I do to you? Oh wait… I helped you, that's right."

"You're also the one who hurt me in the first place," Marik pointed out, making the Thief King cringe.

"Can I come home with you tonight Ishtar? I don't really have anywhere to go. Ry's step-dad is coming home tonight and well, he doesn't know about me yet."

Marik sighed, "I guess it wouldn't hurt. But you're sleeping on the couch."

! # $ & ( - )

Bakura awoke to a high-pitched squealing noise from down the hall. He decided to get up and investigate. He wandered silently, as a thief should, down the hall of the small apartment to Marik Ishtar's room. Again, he heard the noise. "Ishtar? You okay in there?"

He pushed the door open and crept into the dark abyss of the room. Then, he noticed it. A small night- light in the corner of the room. "So he is afraid of the dark," he whispered, amused, to himself. Then it came again, clearer this time. The high-pitched noise that sounded like a muffled scream. He turned towards his companion, worry evident in his mahogany eyes. "Ishtar? Marik?"

The blonde snapped awake. "Get outta here!" He screamed, honestly shocked and frightened by the Tomb Robbers sudden appearance. Tears stained his tanned cheeks, from the many hours he'd spent crying that night. Reluctantly he threw his pillow at the thief, letting it hit the pale skin of the elder male's face with a satisfying thud.

Bakura, regardless of the pillow that had been thrown at him, stood his ground. He let himself slip next to the frightened young Egyptian, and let his arm drape lightly over the teen's shoulders. "Marik," he whispered softly, "it's alright. I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to see if you're alright."

Marik nuzzled in closer to the warm and gentle touch of the pale boy. He let his face be hidden within the silvery tresses of Bakura's hair, and sighed in content. "Stay in here with me will you?" He asked, deep violet eyes staring into the rusty brown one's of the thief. Bakura nodded, and watched the blonde fall deep into a sweet dream, before finally slipping off himself…

! # $ & ( - )

"So?" Ryou asked the next morning. "How was he last night? Behaved himself I hope."

Marik threw his head back and laughed. "Yes! Yes he did! Hey Ry? Is he gonna be staying with me from now on then?" He got a sudden serious look in his eyes that made Ryou shudder. The Brit nodded. "Great!" Marik hugged the younger teen.

! # $ & ( - )

Bakura walked into the room and took a look around. Mahogany eyes scanned the classmates that he found annoying. He was looking for something important. He saw the gang huddled around the desk of Duke Devlin, probably fighting over a toy or pack of cards or something. Then, he heard it. The melodic laugh of the blonde Egyptian he had grown quite fond of. He turned to see the boy with his head back, talking to Ryou. Bakura smiled (It's about damn time!) and walked over to where the two seemed to be discussing an important matter. "Good morning Ishtar. Ry." He dipped his head in greeting.

Marik stood and bowed to the thief. "Morning!"

Ryou looked puzzled. "Something happened between you two last night. Didn't it?"

"Of course!" It was Wheeler's voice. "They got laid! Probably by each other." Bakura glared at the mutt-faced idiot. Marik shook his head and turned Bakura away from him in order to keep a fight from breaking out.

"Actually Wheeler, we just went to sleep," Marik sighed. "Kinda disappointing ain't it? But getting laid is your profession not mine."

The class got quiet as a new student walked in. Her long black hair flowed freely down her back, and her skin was almost as dark as Marik's. Bakura stared in awe as she walked to the back of the room, everyone parted and let her pass, whispering lightly about this new wonder. Marik smiled. "Good morning, Karina!" He chirped. Everyone blinked at him in surprise.

"You know her Ishtar?" Bakura asked, eyes wide.

Marik nodded. "Met her yesterday in 6th hour. She's really nice!" She nodded to him in response to his greeting. "I know she doesn't seem like it, but she is."

! # $ & ( - )

During lunch a month or so later, things seemed pretty normal at Domino High. The gang sitting together as usual under the tree in the courtyard. The lunchroom buzzing with information about who was with who and what was happening in the he-said, she-said matters of the school. The biggest champions and tournaments in the gaming world were being talked about everywhere. But something was out of place on that fine day at the end of the first semester.

Marik looked blankly out of the window, a shudder rippling through his body as he noticed the dismal sky. He sighed as he felt Bakura slide next to him and placed his hand on the Egyptian's shoulder. "Something wrong my sweet?" he asked cautiously. Marik shook his head and sighed again. "Come on… You can tell me. You know that you can tell me anything."

Marik turned and snuggled close to his boyfriend. "You know what day it is Kura-kun?" His voice was soft and trembling.

"Thursday?" he guessed.

"Number day Baku."

"22nd, I think. Why do you ask?"

Marik shook his head in a flustered manner and looked back out the window. "It's December 23rd tomorrow," he whispered. "The worst day of the year." Bakura glanced into Marik's uniquely colored eyes as he stood to place his food in the trash. He hadn't even touched his lunch. Bakura noticed that Marik was getting thinner and not eating recently, so he decided it was time to snap some sense into the blonde.

! # $ & ( - )

Bakura noticed Karina talking to his boyfriend who was looking particularly glum that day. Today just so happened to be the 23rd, and Marik found no reason to explain his actions. He refused to even go up and get lunch, and he hadn't eaten breakfast, or dinner the night before. In fact, he hadn't eaten in about a week. Bakura looked at the two of them in concern. Soon, Karina was walking up to him. "You crack him yet?" He asked her. She shook her head. "Damn."

The bell rang and they headed to the last class of the day, Phy. Ed. Bakura watched as Marik walked into the locker room, 15 minutes late. That wasn't like him, he was a very timely person. He watched the boy open his locker and dress in his gym clothes. He watched the empty shell of a boy that used to be the person he loved, trudge through class like he had extra weight on his shoulders.

"Marik?" He asked, placing his hand gently on the boy's shoulder. He felt Marik flinch under the touch, and the pleading look in the violet eyes of his companion told Bakura that something was bothering him deeply, but he dared not touch that delicate subject. Marik pulled away from his boyfriend and walked into the locker room after giving the teacher a pass.

"Shower up!" the teacher called ten minutes later. Bakura was laughing with one of his friends about some stupid plan they had about blowing up the science lab on the Monday after break was over. As he opened his locker, a carefully folded note fell out onto his feet. He picked it up and glanced at the shaky writing on the front before finally opening it. "Dear Bakura," it read, "I am not going to be at home tonight for there is something important I must do. Promise not to worry. I will be alright and I will see you sometime tomorrow. I will be very tired when I return, but I will be fine. I love you and I hope to see you soon. Love, yours forever, Mariku Ishtar." Bakura folded the letter and went to go find Ryou.

! # $ & ( - )

Bakura noted a knock at the door and sighed as he got up and answered it. "Come on in Karina." He widened the door to let the female in.

"You heard from Marik yet?" She regretted that she had asked after she saw the look on his face. "I'm sorry…" she said softly, hugging the ancient King of Thieves, noticing that he had been losing weight and looked completely exhausted.

"He's been missing for eight days now Karina. He said he'd be back last Saturday! What could've happened to him!?" The phone rang. "Hello?! Oh… Hey Ry. No. Not yet, you heard anything?" Bakura looked disappointed. "What?" His eyes went wide. "Your… But… That's impossible! They've been missing for the same amount of time!?"

Karina looked at the thief with a questioning look written upon her face. "Who else is missing?"

Bakura looked at her with fear and worry clouding his blood colored eyes. "Palki, Ryou's step-father… Thanks Ry. Talk to you later." He hung up the phone with a nervous click. He sat down as if he could no longer hold himself up. "They seem to know each other. Marik and Palki. I've heard Marik scream out his name before, as if in pain. Maybe he's the one who's hurt him as a child. Marik never talks about it. But I know that he was severely abused as a kid… I think Palki has taken him…"

! # $ & ( - )

Violet eyes opened tiredly and scanned the room. "Ah. You're awake!" _His_ voice pierced the blonde's mind and made him shudder convulsively. "Good, now we can continue with our fun…" Marik felt himself being lifted from the wall's chains with ease and placed onto a small stone table in the middle of the dimly lit room. He shuddered at the coldness of it.

"Why…?" he asked softly, his voice raspy and strained from overuse. It hurt to talk. He thought back to how much he had screamed the day before and shook convulsively once more.

He heard the maniacal laughter of the male who was standing over a table, that closely resembled a medical tray, in the corner of the room. He heard the clinking of metal against metal. He shuddered again. "I promise I won't kill you. Does that make you feel any better?" The boy remained silent, years of experience told him to do so. "That's what I thought. Now, lie still boy." Marik held in a scream as he felt the cold blade of a knife slide into the sensitive skin of his stomach. He tried to push the pain away, but soon a second knife joined it, only this one was not as smooth as the first. The serrated edge of the blade ripped his skin as it cut over his chest.

Marik pulled against the chains that bound him to the center of the table as the wanna-be surgeon cut deeper into his skin. He tasted blood as he bit his lip to hold back the screams that were quietly being emitted from his throat. Suddenly, he felt something enter him. He couldn't resist the pain this time. He screamed as loud as his lungs would allow. The pain shot through his body like a raging wildfire on a hot, dry summer day. The scream was full of anguish and he could hear it echo off of the walls for minutes after he had stopped the horrid noise.

"You are wonderfully tight today." The man on him pushed harder and deeper and faster with each thrust. He cried out every time the sensitive spot within him was rammed into. He could feel his body rising to it's limit as he felt the blood slowly flow from him. Marik breathed heavily, thoroughly disgusted with himself, to the point where he knew he would never come clean again.

Sweat, cum, and blood were the only liquids that were allowed to touch his body, and he grew sticky from it all. He felt as though he would wash himself with his own saliva if he could. "Just like old times, isn't it young one?" He thrust within the crying boy farther and felt him burst. The blood flowed faster and more heavily than before as yet another scream was emitted from the boy's lungs. Finally, his voice quit on him. His eyes were closed in the overwhelming pain that had rendered his body useless to him. He could take no more and slid quietly into a near unconscious state. Oh yes, he could still feel the pain. The anguish and torture were the only ways that he could tell that he was still alive.

Finally, the man withdrew and placed the boy back to the wall. Marik could not hold himself up, and he felt his shoulders and wrists dislocate and break once more as he slid painfully to the cool, concrete floor below him. His head hung down in shame, tears flowing from his eyes. "Kura… Help…"

! # $ & ( - )

Bakura dragged through school the next day, hoping every hour that his love would return to him. But to no such luck. By the end of the week, he was ready to break down and cry. "Karina… He's been missing for three weeks now! What am I supposed to do!? The cops won't believe me! I've tried already!"

Karina placed her hand gently on his shoulder as he let a few tears fall. "He'll come back… I promise… We'll find him, I promise," she said softly, her voice gently massaging his troubled mind free of it's tense worries.

He leaned against her shoulders. "You promise?"

She nodded. "Tomorrow's the last day of school this week. We'll look for him this weekend."

! # $ & ( - )

Rumors of Marik's return flooded through the school the next day. Bakura's heart rose. It was said that the blonde had been hiding out in the locker room showers, so that's where he was headed.

"Bakura! Let go of me!" Karina screamed. "I can't go in there!" She tried to fight him for freedom before they reached the men's locker room.

Bakura spun her around and pinned her against the wall. He noticed her gulp in nervousness as he was only a few inches from her face. "If it means seeing him again, after all this time, then you will follow me. Even if it's in there. Just for your information, there isn't a class in there right now, so you better be thankful." His tone scared her deeply. She just nodded and let him drag her into the locker rooms.

As they entered, they heard the running water of the shower, as well as the choked scream of a crying boy. Bakura let go of Karina's wrist, letting her rub it back into place. He peeked around the corner, the first thing he noticed was the blood. His heart began to be crushed in the worry and fear that filled it. As he got closer he heard a slicing noise, metal against tile, then against… Skin?

"Marik!" He screamed as the thin boy looked tiredly up at his friend. Bakura ran to the boy's side only to be pushed away. "Riku? Baby, what's wrong?"

Marik tried to stand, but fell again with a great thud. "You…" His voice seemed strained and cracked. "You didn't even bother… to come and look… for me…" He crawled slowly over to the corner and sat there crying, letting his wrists bleed as he threw the razor at Bakura's head.

"Mariku… You know I would never abandon you. I was trying, but I had no idea where to start…" The thief moved closer to his boyfriend. "Please Riku…" He put out his arm for the boy to take, not wanting to get completely soaked.

Marik slapped it angrily away. "Get the hell away from me! You bastard! You never cared about me, or you would've searched all of Domino the night I went miss…" He fainted…

"MARIK!!!" Bakura screamed, sliding over to his friend, taking the young Egyptian in his arms. "Karina! Call an ambulance!"

! # $ & ( - )

"You're awake!" Bakura gently hugged the blonde as his violet eyes opened for the first time in a week.

"Kura…? Where… am I?" He asked, his voice still strained.

"Hospital," Karina's voice came to him from the door. "You tried to kill yourself Marik…" Marik looked down at his bandaged wrists. He smiled and let out a small sigh. She shook her head. "Ya know, we were worried about you."

Something in him clicked and all resolve and restrain he had had left him. "You? Worried about me!? Ha! That's really funny! If you were so damn worried than you would've rescued me before that bastard had… had…" He choked on his tears as he began to cry, shaking convulsively. "Oh Kura!!!!" He clung to his boyfriend's neck for dear life. "It hurt so much Kura!! It hurt so damn much!"

The anguished screams among his tears tore at Bakura's heart. "Riku… It's okay. I promise I'll never let it happen again." He began to rub Marik's back to try to calm him down. "Relax… It's okay now… I'm here."

! # $ & ( - )

"That's it! I'm leaving! Good riddance!"

! # $ & ( - )

Bakura answered the door at midnight to Karina. Her make-up was smeared, she was crying and had a bag of clothes and things important to her hanging from her left hand. "Karina?" he asked confused.

"Can I stay here for a while?" Bakura nodded and showed her to the spare room in the lower level. "Thank you Bakura. You're too kind." She wiped the tears from her eyes.

Bakura stood at the door. "Won't they wonder where you've gone?"

Karina glared at him. "Of course he won't worry about me! The only thing he cares about is when his next good fuck is!" She slid down the wall and sat on the bed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. Marik's sleeping huh…?"

Marik poked his head out from behind Bakura and asked the Tomb Robber to leave. Bakura did as he was told and turned and left the two to talk. "You wanna talk about it Karina?"

Karina shook her head. "Shouldn't you be resting Riku?"

He smiled at her then placed his well-bandaged hand on hers. "I know what it's like to be hurt. I know you're older than me, but you can trust me to keep a secret. It's what I was born to do. Really. I'd prove it but the proof is under all my wraps." He smiled again and hugged her gently. "Now, do you want to go to sleep?"

She shook her head. "Marik?" She asked. He turned his head towards her, looking deep into her brown eyes. She gulped nervously before she asked, "What's your story? What happened to you, these past few weeks."

He sighed and closed his lavender eyes. "I was taken against my will… Many times. I was cut into and experimented on in unimaginable ways. I can't say exactly down to the details, because if I did you would feel more pity towards me than you already do. And I'd hate to cause that."

She looked at him with understanding in her eyes. This time, she smiled at him. "I haven't been experimented on… But my parents died not to long ago in a car crash. My sister was adopted out to some couple in Eureka… But I wasn't so fortunate. My uncle also took me… Every night I would try to get out of the house before he got home. But usually I failed. I was caught just tonight. He, did that to me, just an hour ago…" Tears formed in her eyes and Marik brought her close to his chest and began humming. She placed her head over his heart and listened to the soothing sound of his melodic song. "What song is that?" She whispered looking up into his self-less violet eyes. She nearly gasped as his tears fell onto her cheek.

"It's a song my brother and sister used to sing to me when I was little… During the first weeks that Palki had taken me. I was only five when it all started. But don't worry much about it." He continued to hum.

She wrapped her arms around his middle and hugged him tightly. Tears fell softly down her cheeks. "Five Riku? How long did it last?" She didn't feel comfortable digging into his personal life, but something inside of her told her she needed to know.

" 'Til now," he said softly. She gasped and hugged him tighter. "Nearly 11 years… I just now turned 16. He took me again and again…" His voice squeaked and drifted off as he choked back his tears.

! # $ & ( - )

Karina stood at his doorway thinking about the night before as she looked in at the sleeping form of the blonde Egyptian who she had decided to trust. "Beautiful ain't he?" She jumped at the sound of Bakura's voice behind her. "Relax, I won't hurt ya. He seems so happy and peaceful when he's sleeping." He was smiling, she hadn't noticed before, the small smile that was sprawled across the young boy's face. He looked like a little child, lost and confused, yet peaceful and gentle.

"He is…" she whispered. Bakura placed his hand on her shoulder and walked down the hall. She watched him leave then turned her attention back to the boy. Marik had shifted positions and was now facing away from her. She could see a faint golden glow radiating from his back. She looked at it in amazement, then concern. Why was he glowing? She closed his door and ran to ask Bakura. "Hey! Thief!" she called.

Bakura turned and looked at her taking a sip of what looked like juice, but was probably something stronger. "Yes?"

"Marik is… glowing," she seemed so confused. Bakura laughed heartily. She thought he thought she was insane. "Go see for yourself if you don't believe me!" She yelled, obviously upset by his actions.

He put his drink onto the counter and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "I know he does. His back is similar to the mood ring that you're wearing. It changes colors due to how he's feeling. That's why he always wears that black shirt underneath his white one's. He always has black on as a bottom layer to hide it." She cocked her head to the side. "Why?" He asked. "Is that what you want to know? Well, follow me, I'll show you."

She followed him down into the basement where there was a little table with what seemed like a little experiment set up on it. Her eyes widened. "What is all this Bakura!?"

He pointed to a black liquid. "That is what makes his back change colors and glow. See this?" He held up a vile of blood. "Now watch." He took some of the liquid and squirted it into the blood, mixing it thoroughly. It began to change color and give off a phosphorescent (( vocab word!!)) glow. Her brown eyes adjusted to the light as it died off. "I haven't figured out how to renew it and make it work at will yet." He sighed and tossed it aside, walking upstairs.

"What was that black stuff Kura?" she asked, curiosity rising in her voice.

"That is the ink that resides in his back. He was given many things along with that ink, many powers that I have yet to learn how to tap into. I have figured out that it only works with blood. Marik was kind enough to donate his dog's. I have been trying to figure it all out myself. He's very odd." Karina nodded in agreement.

Marik walked up behind them. "Good morning. Having a nice time talking about me?" The sarcasm in his tone was almost hurtful to Bakura's ears.

The thief looked at him in shock. "We weren't talking about you! At least. Not in a bad way. You know that already though don't you?"

Marik smiled sweetly. "Of course, I can read your every thought honey." He pinched the fat backside of the Tomb Robber, making him squeak in surprise.

"What's gotten into you!?"

Marik smirked, a devilish look overcoming his usually calm expression. He pulled Bakura in close to his mouth and only spoke in a low whisper, making Bakura groan and blush. "If you were trapped alone for three weeks with no one there to touch you unless it hurt, you would want it too…" He gently bit a piece off of the apple he had gotten from the fridge and walked away moving his rear end from side to side.

Bakura gulped. "That was… Interesting to say the least." Karina just stood there laughing.

! # $ & ( - )

Marik yawned and opened his violet eyes to the soft sunlight that reached towards him from the window. It was currently February 14th , Valentine's day, Saturday, and Bakura's birthday. He smiled as the thief next to him stretched and turned over. Marik put a tanned hand on his boyfriend's head. "Time to wake up Bakura-kun," he whispered softly. "Happy birthday."

Bakura groaned and opened his eyes. He let his jaw drop in awe of the sight before him. There he was, the one person who he loved, drowned in the golden sunlight that accented his skin and hair beautifully. To him, the young Egyptian looked like an angel. He gulped as Marik moved closer to him and wrapped his warm arms around the thief's neck. He nuzzled into the crook of Bakura's neck. "Yes… it is a happy birthday. I have you."

Marik smiled and laughed sweetly. "Thanks Kura!" He hugged the thief closer to him. "Let's celebrate!" He began to get up, and a slight bit of blood caught the thief's attention.

"Marik?" The boy stopped and turned towards his lover. "Where did that come from?" Marik looked over his shoulder at the blood and shrugged, seemingly unperturbed by it. Bakura had a small curious and worried feeling, but decided to push it away and walk down into the kitchen with the blonde. It had been three months, or so, since they had gotten a house together, and they were sure that things were only going to get better between them.

"Marik?" he asked as he walked into the room to see the blonde talking to Karina. Marik turned and looked at him. Bakura gulped and grabbed the tan hand of his current boyfriend. "I know it seems to early for this, but… I love you very deeply Mariku. And.. Well… We've been together for seven months now and I thought that maybe we could… you know… that maybe you could.. Open up to me…"

The blonde blinked in surprise. Karina looked at them, shock coursing through her mind. "Bakura? Surely you don't mean…?" Marik spoke softly, his deep violet eyes not leaving the mahogany ones of the thief.

Bakura nodded. "I just think that it's time don't you? I mean, they haven't hurt you for a few months now… and you have to be somewhat healed by now… so… What do you say Ishtar?"

Marik breathed deeply and stepped back from the thief and turned away from him, his head down, looking contemplative. "Seven months hmm? You really want it Kura? Are you really sure? We haven't done it yet because I didn't think you were ready to engage in that type of activity with me… Not because I wasn't ready… But still… it's only been seven months. I want to be sure that we really truly love each other."

Bakura took Marik's hand in his once more. "You are the only person that I have had by my side for more than a week. You're the only person I have never cheated on. You are the only person that I have ever shared a bed with without doing anything but actually sleeping. Is that enough for you? I love you Mariku. Really deeply. Please… I want you."

Karina saw a look of fear and indecision cross the blonde's face before he turned around with what was clearly a forced smile upon his face. "Alright Bakura. If you are sure this is what you want. This is what we will do." He led the thief up the stairs and closed the door to their room.

Karina shook her head and walked to the bottom of the stairs in case Bakura needed any help getting Marik to calm down. Sure enough a few minutes later, she heard the familiar resisting screams of the young blonde. She shook her head and walked upstairs just as Bakura walked out from the room. "Need help?" she asked sarcastically. He glared, yet nodded. "Show me."

Bakura went back into the room and calmed the boy down. Karina stood in the shadows so Marik didn't realize she was there. Bakura tried to keep the boy away from him, but it didn't work. He kept clinging to the thief's neck and begging him to stop, tears falling down his tanned cheeks.

"There's your problem Baka! You're trying to force him into it!" Karina shouted walking over to the bed. Marik turned his fear filled violet gaze to the approaching female. She placed her hand underneath his shoulder and coaxed him back down. "You have to act like he's in control. Keep your hand under him. The moment you put your hand above his shoulder he's gonna freak out," she said in an all-knowing tone of voice.

Bakura nodded and looked down at the shivering mess that was supposed to be the boy that he loved. "Riku.. Maybe we shouldn't-" The boy's hand clasped around the thief's retreating arm, a pleading look filled his eyes.

"Please… I… I'm sorry…?" Bakura smiled and gently kissed the boy's cheek. He hated seeing Marik like this. He placed himself over the boy once more as Karina turned around. "Try again Kura…? I… I won't try to push you away again."

Again Bakura smiled. "Riku, it's the most natural thing for you to do. You're preventing yourself from getting hurt. I like that… It's just… You know I'd never hurt you Riku." Marik nodded, letting the thief wipe away his tears. "Now. What was it she said? Under huh?" He placed his hand under Marik's shoulder and gently lifted him upwards into a passionate kiss. "Yeah, somethin' like that…" he whispered against the blonde's tanned neck, making him shiver in suppressed fear, yet something else. Something… different.

Karina noticed that Bakura had everything under control and decided to go sit in the hall, leaving the two to a private session. Granted, she was still planning on listening in, just in case the thief hurt the boy.

Soon she heard what sounded like a muffled cry, but soon realized that it was Marik, resisting the urge to scream out his lover's name in the pleasure that was being given to him. Karina smiled as the soft sound erupted into vociferous screams of happiness. But it stopped suddenly. She peeked into the door to find the thief sitting over the young boy who was… crying? She furrowed an eyebrow. That couldn't be right, surely the pale teen couldn't have hurt the boy.

"Riku? Please. Tell me? Did I hurt you?" The thief's voice was calm and gentle as he gently stroked the arm of the Egyptian male. "Riku come on… why are you crying?"

Marik looked up, a smile placed on his face. Sweat dripped from his sodden hair. His face was contorted in pleasure, yet just as soft as it always was. Lust filling his usually gentle, wise, and self-less athemyst colored eyes. "Kura. Listen to me. If I was in pain do you think I would be begging you for more? It's just… I've never had this feeling before. Ever." Karina giggled slightly at the voice that erupted from the boy's throat. It was very heavily accented and given out in a purring sort of tone. She smiled at him, though he didn't realize it. "Please Kura. I want more. I have never felt this good in my life."

Karina exited the room, relief written on her face. Again she heard the calls of ecstasy from the young Egyptian teen, whom she cared very deeply for. She thought of how important this very moment was. Never in the past few months that she had known him had she ever heard him like this. She had always heard him at night, tossing and turning in his sleep, sometimes crying, other times screaming, but never had she heard him scream in pleasure. Feigned pleasure before yes, but this moment was beautiful. She smiled more as the boy let out a shrill scream that was louder than any of the others. She heard him panting and squeaking softly not wanting the moment to end, but knowing that it had to.

She turned as she heard the door open and the thief walk out, wiping the sweat from his usually pale face that was now completely flushed. "He's good…" he whispered. "Knocked out now. Actually went to sleep with a smile. Thanks for helping out Karina. That was truly important to us both. Just know if you ever want to join us-"

"No!" She cried out and stood up, blushing madly. "I mean… It's better just you and him isn't it?" Her voice was shaky as she noticed the mischievous smirk on the older teen's face.

"Oh come on Kari. You'd like it and you know it. I mean. Just think. Me. And Riku. And…" He leaned in close to her ear, lust filling his exhausted voice. "_You._" She gulped and pushed him away shaking her head. "Fine fine fine. If you don't want to lay with the two hottest guys in your school, and probably the most experienced, I understand." He sighed and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door, before once more poking his head out. "I'm gonna go shower. Care to join me?"

Karina blushed more and picked up the nearest object, (which just so happened to be the blanket from the thief's waist) and chucked it at his head. He laughed as it narrowly missed the snow colored hair that hung limply at his shoulders. He shook his head and shut the door, sighing and whispering something about the female species.

The raven-haired girl walked downstairs and smirked as she heard the water start running. She eyed the kitchen sink and decided to wait a few minutes before giving the thief a wake up call. She helped herself to a bit of the chocolate cake that Ryou had brought over the night before in celebration of Bakura's on-coming birthday. She flicked on the hot water and was satisfied when she heard the thief swear profoundly in the upstairs bathroom as she heard the thud of his feet on the floor as he jumped out of the shower. "Hmph. Serves him right." She shut off the water and cleaned it out of the sink and sat down as she heard him come down the stairs. She looked up from her cake as he entered the room, a towel around his waist as he stood dripping on the floor. "You know, Marik isn't gonna be too happy about the mess your making on his precious kitchen floor."

He glared at her. "You. Cold. Water. Why?" He said indignantly through gritted teeth, his abnormally large canines shining in the sunlight.

"Cold water? I have no idea what you're talking about."

Bakura smirked and shook his head free of the water like a dog, sending most of it in Karina's direction. "Aieee!" she screamed as it hit her in the face. "What was that for!?"

"That cold water. I was still in the shower you know!"

"I DIDN'T DO IT! Look in the sink if you don't believe me!" Her voice was angered and defiant. Bakura wandered to the sink and finding it clean of any water (But what was dripping from his hair) 'hmph'ed and went back towards his room. Karina laughed as he walked away, obviously dumbstruck. "Kari: one, Bakura: zip… Ah, such a pleasant way to start the morning."

! # $ & ( - )

A yawn escaped the throat of the black haired girl. Her mud colored eyes settled on the clock face, which was currently flashing 3:00 in the morning at her. She sighed and turned to stare at the ceiling. A thought ran through her head about the boy in the room right above her. She had lived in this house for around four months now, and had yet to see him at night. She wondered if anything was different about the way he slept, versus the way he moved when he was awake.

A slight knock at her door caught her attention as Bakura wandered in. The thief looked completely exhausted. His usually mischievous smirk was now a drooping frown. There were dark rings under his eyes and he even looked paler than usual. To sum everything up, he looked dead. "Baka? What's wrong?" She asked sitting up.

He looked up at her, his mahogany eyes looked lifeless and dull and the sheen was lost from his hair, which was messier than usual. "Riku… Nightmares. Mind if I switch places with you? My rooms been turned into a storage room since I usually sleep with Ishtar. Please Karina. Help him… Help me.. So tired… No sleep for four days now…" He immediately collapsed to the floor and curled up into a ball, dead asleep.

Karina smiled. "Sure thing Bakura. You just stay there and sleep. Not that I really have a choice in this matter." She walked upstairs to Marik's room, patiently waiting for the right moment to enter. She heard the soft whimpering of the boy, followed by a terrified scream. He was panting, she could tell he was awake and decided that now was the best time to enter the room. "Riku?" she called softly. "Are you alright?"

The boy turned his gaze towards her, the moonlight accenting every part of him in a creepy kind of way. She walked over to his bed and sat next to him. She realized that he was clinging to his blanket so hard that his knuckles were white. She placed her hand on his head and put him back into a laying position. He immediately started to resist and turned to his side. "Look at me Riku, what's wrong? What do you see?"

He kept his eyes off of hers, but turned towards her. "I see death. You and Bakura, and Ry… All of my friends… And, I always am blacking out in my dreams, and coming back with your blood on my hands. Very similar to the way it was when my father died. I don't want any of you to die!!!" He clung to the t-shirt she was wearing and buried his face in her neck.

"We aren't gonna die Riku. Clearly you're very upset by the thought. Maybe that's why you keep dreaming of it. But don't fret little one. None of us are going to die. I promise." She wiped the tears from his cheeks, running her finger along the dark lines that extended from his eyes along his cheeks. "Riku? How did you get these?"

He sighed and turned away from her. He slowly lifted his shirt off, revealing the scars that were carved into his back. "This is my inheritance. I received this mark when I was 12. My father gave them to me. A knife was used and I was sick for a year afterwards. It is a mark of the Tomb Keeper's loyalty to guarding the tomb of the forgotten Pharaoh. It was my job to protect the secrets within it. And I disobeyed the law of our people. I went to the surface-world when I was 13. The first time I saw the sun, was the day my father died. Little did I know that it was I that committed that horrid crime."

Her fingers itched to run along the outlines of it, but he turned away before she got the chance. "It still hurts to this day." He began glowing again, this was the second time that she had seen this mysterious light emitted from him. "You're wondering why it glows. Bakura showed you the effects of blood against the ink. Well, that is the markings on my back. The ink that was put into them is the same stuff that gives off light."

"Can I touch it?" Marik blinked and turned over, she felt him flinch as she placed her hand over the now bright blue glowing markings. She heard him gasp in air as his body tensed when she traced one of the lines. "Sorry," she whispered withdrawing her hand, only to realize that there was blood on her finger. She looked at him, fear filling her eyes. "Why?"

He wiped it off of her and looked into her eyes. "That was my muscle you were touching you know…" She understood why he flinched under her touch. It had hurt him. "You didn't know, so don't apologize." He followed her gaze as she searched his chest, shoulders and stomach. He could almost feel her eyes tracing the scars that ran along his flesh. Some new, but most of them very old.

He breathed in heavily and let out a sigh as she ran her hand along three long marks that were very close together and extended from his shoulder to his stomach. "Where did these come from?" She noticed more of the same triple mark in multiple places along his chest. She glanced up to his neck and saw a tiny ring of what looked like… bite marks? "Are those from Baka?"

He took her hand in his and gently placed it on his cheek. "The three are whip wounds. Palki often liked my father to whip me, if he didn't take the pleasure in doing it himself. And no. The bite mark is from when I was 11 or so. Some idiot had to bite me hard enough to pierce straight through my neck. Couldn't breathe properly for a week or so."

Karina looked at him in shock. How could he be so calm about all of this? Surely what happened was wrong beyond any measure of torture that she had ever heard of. Never in her life had she heard of anyone getting whipped. But by the tone of his voice, he didn't seem to care at all. "Riku? Why… Why are you so calm? I mean, all of these marks. Surely you were hurt badly by them?"

"Of course they hurt when I got them. But they rarely burn anymore. On occasion yes, but not recently." He turned and placed his shirt on again. He lay staring out of his window at the pale light of the full moon. "It sure is beautiful ain't it?" Karina nodded as he sighed and turned towards her again. "Where'd Baku go to?"

"My room. He came in and fell asleep. Told me to come up here to calm you down. It seems to have worked."

Marik laughed lightly and hugged her. "Yeah. It did."

! # $ & ( - )

"Good morning class. Can you all open your books to- Mr. Ishtar? Would you please take your seat. This is the fifth time you've been late to my class this month. Anymore of your excuses and I think I will have to give you a suspension. Detention after school today understand? See me after class. Now as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, open your books to page 205."

Marik growled as he took his seat. Karina noticed his hatred towards this teacher and decided to ask Marik why he hated him so much. Marik opened his book and placed his head on his desk, closing his tired looking eyes. Karina smiled, but the smile was soon replaced as the teacher smacked Marik hard with a meter stick. "Mr. Ishtar thinks he has the special privilege of sleeping in class. Now, let me think, what is a suitable punishment for slackers?"

Marik cleared his throat and stood up, glancing mischievously at the teacher. "According to the school system the punishment for slackers is after graduation they have to become geography and history teachers." He smiled happily as murmurs of agreement spread around the classroom. "Now if you don't mind exiting the area of my desk. You're invading my bubble and I am afraid of catching your stupidity."

"Ishtar! Office!"

"Ooh! I'm so scared! Go to the office Ishtar!" he said mockingly. "Let them give you suckers and chocolate and send you back to your next hour class after letting you roam the halls for an hour! Keep you away from the loser teachers they will!"

"Do I hear a four day suspension!?"

Marik smiled and jumped up on his desk. "Four going once! Do I hear a five?" Some kid raised his hand. "Are we gonna go for six?" Someone shouted out 20. "20, going once, twice! Sold! To the young gentleman in the back of the room!" Marik danced on his desk for a few minutes before jumping off and handing the young male in the back a $20 bill. He then bowed as he picked up his backpack and dipped his head and saluted them as he skipped out of the room, with a triumphant smile on his face, and to the office.

Karina laughed and shook her head. Bakura had to hear about this.

! # $ & ( - )

"Hey! Thief!" Bakura raised his head from his math book and stared at the smiling Karina. "You'll never guess what Marik did today!"

He closed the book and glanced at her, curiosity showing in his eyes. "What'd he do!? Tell me! How bad did he piss of Ishimura today? How long's he suspended this time?"

"20 days. Jumped on his desk and started holding an auction. Teacher hit him with the meter stick a few times before finally giving up. Gave the winner $20 too. He skipped out of the classroom."

Just then Marik wandered up to them. "How's it hangin'?" he asked, that same smile on his face from earlier, only now he had on a jean jacket and had a full backpack slung over his shoulder.

Bakura laughed. "Going home eh?"

The blonde nodded and looked at his nails as if he were admiring them. "Yeah," he said dreamily, "I showed that stupid idiot teacher who's boss this time."

"Yeah and you still wound up getting suspended," Bakura laughed.

"The 'sentence'," he said imitating quotations, "was reduced to a week. But man it would've been hilarious if they actually would've suspended me for the full 20 days don't ya think?"

"Dude, you'd get so damn bored though." Marik nodded in agreement and stood to leave. "See ya later then Riku?"

"Yeah! See ya when ya get home! And don't blow up the labs without me!" he yelled over his shoulder waving as he left the cafeteria.

! # $ & ( - )

The rest of the day was quite boring for both Bakura and Karina. They had thought of buying ("Steal!") Marik a cake for his actions, but had decided against it at the last minute. They entered the house and called for him, but no answer came. "Where could he be?" Karina asked, looking at Bakura who shrugged in response.

He walked into the kitchen and poured himself a drink before sitting down in the living room to watch t.v. "Probably upstairs sleepin' or out for a walk or somethin'." He said his mahogany eyes transfixed to the television screen.

Karina shook her head and wandered upstairs towards the boy's bedroom, hoping that she'd find him there. She cautiously opened the door, peering inside the dimly lit room. In the center of the bed she found Marik huddled up in a small ball. His hair was draped in front of his face and his breathing was slow and shallow as he slept peacefully. A smile crossed Karina's face and she closed the door and went back downstairs. She didn't want to bother his sleep.

"He's up there huh?" Bakura asked, still entranced by the t.v. He didn't notice Karina's nod, but she didn't think he really cared. She got her self a drink and sat at the table doing her homework. She noticed Bakura digging through Marik's backpack. "Hmm… I know it's in here somewhere."

"What are you looking for?" Karina asked, curiosity in her brown eyes.

"Aha!" He held up a small book with a lock. He took out a paper clip and a small pick. He began to work at the lock, successfully breaking the paper clip. He finally got it open after a few minutes and began reading from it aloud.

"Dear Whatever the hell this thing is called,

I am pleased to announce that I have a partner in crime. It's Bakura. The one person who I never thought I'd see again. The one I thought I'd rather die than talk to once more. But I digress. He's amazing! He kisses my cheek every night before we go to sleep. He holds me when I cry, and he has shown me things that I never thought existed, even in my wildest dreams."

Karina's eyes widened. "Marik has a diary!?" Bakura nodded. "You shouldn't be reading that! That's his personal thoughts!" She snatched it from his hands and locked it again. She smacked him over the head with it just as the blonde walked down the stairs.

"Took you all long enough to get here," he said with a yawn. "So… Whatcha looking at?"

"Nothing of major importance Ishtar. Let's go out to eat."

! # $ & ( - )


End file.
